Yangdi xingping trekking is a classical one near Yangshuo. This is a very easy hike where it's practically impossible to get lost. The best option for this trekking area is starting on foot from Xingping and come back with a bamboo boat. The biggest advantage of this option is to avoid the Yangdi wharf tourist trap. The trek ends in Shuiyantou, the village just in front of Yangdi, on the other side of the river and it is not necessary to take the last Yangdi ferry
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| The end of the trip: on the left, this is Yangdi, on the right, this is Shuiyantou |
At Shuiyantou village, or at Langshi if you prefer, you will find very easily a boat for return and it will be definitely cheaper than Yangdi.
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| The famous Wave Stone scenic view. On the left, this is Langshi village |
On the first part of the journey, you can shorten the hike by taking a mototaxi or minibus So, you start hiking to the first ferry, the Lengshui ferry. This first part is interesting to walk, so, on the return, you can ask the boatman to drop you at Lengshui ferry and finish the journey on foot.
It's possible to do the trek in 3 hours. But take your time for discover all the little villages around. This hike is described in three steps punctuated by two river crossings
ROUTE MAP
Xingping > Ferry > Lengshui > Quanjiazhou > Ferry > Langshi > Shuiyantou > return on bamboo boat
1 - From Xingping to Lengshui
From the bus station, cross Xingping village by the street named "Old Street" and take the Binjiang bridge to walk the east bank of Li river . This is a very touristic way to go to the 20 yuans scenic view. Continue the road crossing little villages and you arrive to Lengshui Ferry. If you plan to do this par on the return, take a mototaxi.
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| Hike from Xingping to Lengshui on a carriage road |
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| Route from Xingping to Lengshui village |
2 - From Lengshui to Quanjiazhou
The path is very clear to Laocuntou. 100 m after Laocuntou, you must leave the main road and take a small path on the right to stay close to the river. It is a path that was recently concreted for the passage of tourists. 200 m further, this path cross a little river. It's point A on the map below.
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| New path and new bridge just near the river |
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Quanjiazhou village
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At the foot of Quanjiazhou village, the ferry for cross the Li river.
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2 bis - From Lengshui to Quanjiazhou passing by Yaotou
All the classic route is close to the river. It can become monotonous. An alternative is to avoid the path built especially for tourists and take the paths used by the locals. We must move towards a bridge (point B on the map) located 400 m upstream from the other bridge. Hard to get lost here. Just go on the west by small paths that make us gain altitude. We approached two peaks before arriving in Yaogtou. Nothing special in this hamlet, but the atmosphere, away from the tourist trail seems frozen for centuries.
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Main road going to Xianggongshan
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Going to Yaotou
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| Before Quanjiazhou |
Yaotou is 100 m highter than the river. After Yaotou, the path goes down near the river. There is a parallel path used by local raised 10m over the river.
4 - From Quanjiazhou to Shuiyantou
After the ferry, The path is obvious: just follow the river to Langshi, then to Shuiyantou. At Langshi, take the time to rise above the village to take pictures. The trek ends in the Shuiyantou village.
5 - From Shuiyantou to Xingping
In Shuiyantou, it's very easy to find a bamboo boat for the return. It's cheaper than Yangdy. An other option is to end the journey in Langshi and go back.
if you have opted to finish the boat ride to the Lengshui ferry, do not take the concrete road but get closer the river to follow the stone dam. Follow the beautiful gravel beach. You can join the road at any time by the many footpaths.
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| Downhill Li river in front of Langshi village (left) |
Distance
- The whole distance is 15.9 km (4 hours)
- Disrance Xingping bus station/Ferry-Lengshui = 5.5 km (1:20 hours)
- Distance Lengshui/Ferry Quanjiazhou = 7.2 km (1:50 hours)
- Distance Ferry Quanjiazhou/ Shuiyantou wharf = 3.2 km (0:50 hour)
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| Overall map of Xingping Yangdi trek |
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| Overall map detailed |
if you're curious, take the time to linger in the 10 small villages you pass through. So take a 8 hours hike.
Hello, I am interested in doing one of these walks, maybe between 4-6 hours worth and getting perhaps a sunset cruise back. Is this possible? What start and finish points would you recommend? Is this route open for April 2017?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Dear Daniel Metz, thank you very much for having prepared this very informative and helpful website. I'm going to Yangshuo in a few weeks, I do love hiking and this is really something I was looking for!!! Thank you so much for all the maps you prepared and the detailed descriptions.
ReplyDeleteAll the best
Agnieszka
Dear Daniel Metz, thank you for your very informative and detailed report.
ReplyDeleteI will follow your idea next spring. Regards N K from Japan
Hello Daniel Metz! Thank you for your detailed report, would definitely reference it in my planning! Would like to check, is there a route from xingping to xianggong shan? Approximately how long would it take and how are the road conditions like? Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a wonderful an helpful outline. We did this in April 2019. For interest, the ferry across at Lengshui charged 15 Yuan per person, incl children. I don't know if we got scammed as other places online suggested 4-6 Yuan but he was adamant. Our kids got tired by the time we got to Laocuntou but we could not find anyone there willing to take us back downstream on a raft at that point. The scenery is wonderful and it was a very enjoyable hike. There are lots of stalls along the way selling fruit and drinks. There are also a few toilets along the way.
ReplyDeleteHello! Did you do the whole track? I've seen several notes on the internet that the trail is closed and there is no ferry in Quanjiazhou. But that was in the last year. I can't see any news from recently...
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